Trick-or-Treat!!!

After a crazy week I actually did get to sleep in just a little bit...Kaylee came in my room at 8:09 this morning and said "Mom, the tooth fairy found my note that I lost my tooth and look at what she left me!" after which she delightfully turned on my light...ugh!!! She lost a tooth yesterday at school, and then came home and lost it again. So, she wrote a note to the tooth fairy, and the tooth fairy so kindly brought her a gold presidential dollar coin.

After all the other Halloween parties, and programs this week it was trick-or-treat day today. This afternoon we went to my Grandma's retirement assisted living apartment building for a costume parade/trick-or-treating. The kids got an insane amount of candy from all the grandparents there. Their buckets were so incredibly full (mostly suckers, and tootsie rolls which my kids LOVE!!!) There were so many kids that came to the trick-or-treat parade this year. After we had gone through the whole parade line we went back to see my grandma again before leaving. Here's some cute pictures of my kids with my grandma.

My friend Amy called me this morning to see if we wanted to go to the mall to go trick-or-treating with her and her kids. So, right after we left my grandma's apartment building we headed to the mall to meet up with her. The mall was a crowded madhouse with so many people packed in there with their kids. Each store had someone by the door handing out candy. Amy's kids were so cute dressed up as a ghost bride and groom.

Then Marla called...and she wanted us to meet her at Ikea. So, it was off from the mall to Ikea. After playing for a few minutes in the kids area we did get to some serious shopping.

After Ikea we went back home and ate dinner before time for neighborhood trick-or-treating. After dinner I went out to my car to gather up a few costume things that had been left in the car. Marla had put on Roman's Superman cape and thought it would be really funny to go trick-or-treating in it. Next thing I know Spencer, Wendy, Marla, Steve, Tiffany, and all the kids are leaving to go trick-or-treating...which pretty much left me to stay and hand out candy with Wendy's dog Brodie (Brodie wore a cow costume for halloween). They said they were only going to go to 2 or 3 houses since we had been trick-or-treating all day...then over an hour later they called to say "We ended up going to more than 2 or 3 houses. We found Reagan and started going around with her." I was glad to be in the nice warm house handing out treats (even though they did kind of just leave me there).

Happy Halloween Party

Wendy and I decided to have a little Halloween party for Kaylee, Gabby, and Roman. We let them each invite 2 friends so there would be 9 kids total. They invited a couple of cousins, neighbor kids, and a couple kids from school. It worked out that we had 8 kids total because one of Kaylee's friends from school was sick with the H1N1 flu. The kids have been anxiously waiting for the party all week and were thrilled when Friday finally came.

We wanted a nice, simple, fun party so we planed to paint pumpkins, frost cookies, play pumpkin bowling, and eat pizza. I think it went pretty smoothly and everyone had fun.

After the party we decided to get the cousins lined up on the sofa in their costumes. From Left to Right: Kaylee (Dentist), Savannah (Cheerleader), Jaren (Cowboy), Ariana (Cheerleader), Roman (Cowboy), Gabby (Cowgirl). We ended up with 3 cowboys (or girls) this year, and a dog dressed up as a cow (unfortunately she's not in the picture with the cowboys).

Halloween in the Village

Today I spent pretty much the whole day at my kids school (which is set up like a little village...which is why this is titled Halloween in the Village).

I dropped the kids off at school and Gabby's class had their Halloween Program at the very beginning of school. They did a little costume parade and then sang 5 or 6 Halloween songs.

I volunteered to help with Gabby's class Halloween Party, I signed up to bring a game. I brought pumpkin bowling for the kids to play (I found a little bowling game, and got some foam pumpkins to use as the ball). They also played "Pin the Eye on the Monster" and a bean bag toss game that another mom had brought. They finished up with a snack of Halloween popcorn ball, and juice boxes.

After Gabby's class party my mom, Gabby, and I went to lunch at Kneader's and had some delicious sandwiches and pastries. Followed by heading back to the school for Kaylee's Halloween program. Kaylee has always had a bad case of stagefright and always ends up in a meltdown whenever she had to perform in front of adults. I made a deal with her that I would sit on the very front row so she could see me really well if she would stay up on the steps and sing. We had a talk about how almost everyone gets scared when they get up in front of people, and that I get really, really nervous in front of people but that I still have to do it sometimes, and be brave. I didn't think it would really work....but it worked!!!

It was amazing! Kaylee marched around with her class for the costume parade, and then marched up onto the steps to perform. Not only did she stand up and sing, she also did the actions for the songs, and was smiling! It was so amazing, and I am so happy that Kaylee was brave and stayed up there and sang.

After the program we had another quick break, so, my mom, Gabby, and I went to Toys R Us and then back to the school for another Halloween party. Kaylee's teacher asked me if I would be willing to help with the Halloween party. I told her what I was going to do with Gabby's class and she asked if I would bring it for her class as well. Kaylee's class had more fun with the pumpkin bowling than Gabby's class. Kaylee's class also decorated cupcakes, and played "Pin the Eye on the Monster."


They had a very fun day at school...and looking forward to more Halloween fun. Here's a few more pictures of Kaylee - The Dentist, Kaylee with her Music Room teacher Miss Alycesun (Polly Pocket), and Kaylee with her home-room teacher Miss Tiffany (50's girl in poodle skirt).

Leaves are Falling All Around...

It's Autumn Time, it's autumn time, the leaves are falling down!!!

For family home evening we raked Wendy's leaves into piles to jump in, slide into, and play in. The kids have been looking forward to playing in the leaves, and there was finally enough to make it worth playing in.

I raked a huge pile of leaves to the bottom of the slide so the kids could slide into them. I tried to convince them to slide down on their tummy but they wouldn't do it...so, I did. Then, the kids thoughtit looked like fun and wanted to try it.


After we played in the back yard for a while we decided to go around to the front and make another big pile. I love this picture of Kayle jumping into the leaves.

Weekly Review - October 18-24

Sunday - October 18 - Kaylee was playing Wii Fit Yoga. She loves to excersize and enjoyed playing Wii Fit.

Monday - October 19 - We carved the pumpkins that we got from the pumpkin patch on Saturday. Kaylee carved a jack-o-lantern face, and Gabby had me help her carve Sleeping Beauty on hers. Gabby thought it felt gross went she put her hand in the pumpkin but was so happy with herself at getting the pumpkin guts out.

Tuesday - October 20 - I had decided to close my ebay scrapbook store months ago. This week I set up shelves of scrapbook supplies and had a scrapbook sale. I still have tons of stuff left and I will probably have another sale.

Wednesday - October 21 - I stopped into Old Navy while Gabby was at school and discovered that they had an additional 50% off clearance, and another 10% off your entire purchase if you donated a can of food. I got some stuff and left to go get Gabby from school. I told Wendy about it, so, after we picked Kaylee up we went to another Old Navy. They had a cool projector game that projected the image on the floor and you could kick the stuff in the picture and it would move.

Thursday - October 22 - Welcome Fall!! The leaves are falling everywhere!!! The kids love playing in the leaves!

Friday - October 23 - I got a cute necklace with my girls names on it...which I love. What make me love it even more is that I bought it from Lindsay at The R House. If you have never visited her blog it is definately worth while. She has adopted 2 little boys. She has been going through a contested adoption for her youngest boy for 14 months now. Court cost have been piling up fast so Lindsay started an Etsy store selling necklaces (and now embroidered shirts too) to help pay for the court costs. Check out her Etsy store The R House Couture. I bought my necklace from a boutique she was at and they made my necklace on the spot. I got to meet Lindsay (she is a friend of my sister Wendy) and she is the sweetest person ever. I love the necklace that I got from her!!!

Saturday - October 24 - Kaylee got to go with Wendy and Spencer to "Boo at the Zoo". I stayed home with Gabby because she has had a cold and a cough. She had lots of fun. Kaylee is a Dentist for Halloween. We also went to the ward halloween party at Wendy's church. Gabby was feeling better so we went. Gabby is a cowgirl for Halloween.